Control means for molding machines



Sept. 9, 1930. w. J. FIEGEL 1,775,239

I CONTROL "BANS FOR MOLDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17. 1928 77222 Z47770/2} a d ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWILLIAM J'. FIEGEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BOHN ALUMINUM &BRASS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGANCONTROL MEANS FOR IVIOLDING MACHINES Original application filed October11, 1926, Serial No. 140,948. Divided and this application filedSeptember 17, 1928.

This invention relates to molding machines and more particularly tomeans for controlling the operation of the ram.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.140,948 filed Oct. 11, 1926.

' One of the primary objects of the present invention is to providemeans associated with the valve controlling the power to the ram capableof arresting the valve in an intermediate position so selected that theram descends during the drawing operation, at a predetermined retardedspeed without any attention on the part of the operator.

' The invention also contemplates an arrangement of the above characterwhich is simple and economical in construction and may be applied withfacility upon the molding machine. I

"With the above as well as other objects in view, the invention residesin the novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements ofparts'as will be more fully hereinafter referred to. g

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a molding machine with my inventionapplied thereto; and V Figure 2 is a fragmentary View partly inelevation and partly insection of the valve controlled arresting means.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate like parts, it'will be noted that the moldingmachine includes a base 10 and a pair of swinging sideframe members 11pivotally connected as at'12 to the base 10. A ram 13 reciprocates in ahousing 14 by power, such as air pressure,-controlled-bv a suitablevalve A 15 to be more fully hereinafter referred to.

. The ram 13 carries a plate 16 upon which the flask 17 of the mold isadapted to rest. The reference character 18 indicates generally thepattern plate and19 the squeezer plate which is carried bythe frame 20of the molding "inachinel This latter'frame member issupported upontheside frame member-11.

As'shown in Figure 1, the parts of the molding machine are in apositionwherein the pattern is drawn from the, mold. In this Serial No.306,574.

The mounting of the clamping elements 21 permit the same to be rocked orswung about a horizontal axis so that the lower looped ends of theseclamps may be engaged under the extensions 18 on the plate 18. Theclamps are normally urged into operative or engaging position as forinstance by means of a spring 21 connected at its ends to brackets 28secured to one leg of each of the U-shaped clamps. The brackets 28 areprovided with downwardly extending portions 24 adapted to engage theadjacent face of the frame member 20 and have a camming action therewithin the following manner: Vhen the handle 24 illustrated in Figure 1 isoperated to rotate the cam member 25 to permit the cross head 22 todescend under the action of a spring 26, the downwardly extendingportions 24 of the brackets 23 bear upon the upper face of the adjacentframe'member at an' angle slightly inclined to the vertical, so that asthe cross head, and consequently the clamping members, are forciblyurged towards the frame members 20, the engagement of the legs 24 willforcibly swing the clamping members about their pivots and in an outwarddirection so as to release the pattern plate 18. Obviously when thehandle 24 is subsequently rotated to raise the cross head, the arms 24will be raised clear of the frame members 20 and the relatively weaksprings 21 will then function to swing the clamping members into asubstantially vertical position wherein they engage under the extensions18' of the pattern plate.

When the parts are in the foregoing position, the ram 13 may be loweredto withdraw the pattern from the mold. In order to efiicientlyaccomplish this result, the valve 15 is provided for controlling thepower for operating the ram 13. The valve is provided with an operatinghandle 27 pivoted at one end thereof to a projection 28 on the valvecasing and intermediate the ends to a plunger 29 slidably mounted withinthe valve casing and having a longitudinally extending chamber 30therein. The plunger preterably terminates'at the lowerend thereof in anannular valve seat 31 adapted to engage the upper end of a valve member32 for con-' trolling the exhaust of fluid from the cylinder through theopening 32 formed in the valve casing. The arrangement is such that uponupward movement or the handle and plunger to open the exhaust valve,fluid will flow from the cylinder through the chamber .30 and escapethrough the opening 32 formed in the upper portion or the chamber. Thevalve member 32 is also slidably mounted within thevalve casingsubstantially below and inalignment with the plunger 29 and is providedwith an enlarged head portion at the inlet opening 35 and the cylinder.A suitable coil spring 36 normally tends to urge the head of the member32 into engagement with the seat 33 and thereby maintain the intake pas:sage closed. The exhaust valve on the other hand, is normally urgedtoward its open position by a second spring37 adapted to act upon.

the plunger 29. The operation of the valve is as follows: Assuming thatthe exhaust valve is. in its open position and the intake valve isclosed and itis desirable to respectively close and open these valvesthe plunger 29 .is caused to move downwardly against the action of thespring 37 into engagement with the upper end of the valve member 32thereby closing the exhaust opening. Thus upon further downward movementorthe alun 'er 29 the valve member 32 will also. be moved downwardlywith the result that the head portion of the member 32' will bedisengaged from, the valve seat .33, thus permitting the fluid to flowfrom the source of supply into the cylinder to raise the ram. WVhen itis desired to effect a lowering of the ram, the

plunger 29 is permitted to move upwardly under the act on or the spring37 thus openmg the exhaust valve and permitt ng the fluid .to flow outof said cylinder. It will be noted that at the same'time the plunger ismoved upwardly by the spring 37 the valve member '32 is also movedupwardly by means of the spring. 36, to close the inlet passage.

-, Owing to the fact that when the exhaus Valve is open, the ram isdescended to withdrawthe patternfrom the" mold, it is desirable tocontrol the extent of opening of this valve so as' to permitthe' air, ifcompressed air is. used, to escape slowly and.

thereby efiect a comparatively slow descenvalve is completely. open. j

come within ably comprises a member secured at one end to the handle 27adjacent the valve 15 andv terminating at the oppositeendadjacent thegripping portion of thehandle 27 This stop is adjustable by means, forinstance, ofa bolt 40 projecting upwardly from the handle 27 and adaptedto'passthrough an aperture. in the extension 39 and adj'ustably securedthereto by means of; a pair of lock nuts 41. If it is understood thatthe handle 27 is swung in an upward. direction to open the. exhaust,valve controlling the escape of fluid from under the ram 13, it will beseen that the en gagernent of the adjustable stop 39 with the stop 38will locate the'handle 27 and" conseonly to a limited extent. This hasheretofore ticular desired position ot the handle 27 so that the ramwould descend at the desired speed. This latter arrangement has beenfound objectionable as y it frequently hapj-I pened that theoperatoifneglectedto hold the valve in an intermediate position andaccorde ingly the ram, upon reachingthe endofiits stroke, imparted asuddenshoclr to the flask and often times cracked the moldg' With thepresent'inventionhoweventhe valve will be accurately located 'infthedesired "position without any special attention "on; the part or quentlyposition the valve where-it is open y been accomplished manually withthe result that the operatorv had to determine the par the operatorandthe extent to. which the v'al'v'e is held open may bev governed byregulating the position of the adjustable stop 3'9 v v As will benotedfrom} li igure'1 1"' offthe drawing, the stop 38 ispositionedupon'one of the swinging :trame members 'llsofthat after the pattern has beenwithdrawn from" the mold andthe nam members "11 swung to inoperativeposition, the stop38; will. ac-j' cordingly be moved out "of engagementwith the adjustable stop 39 permitting the handle 27 to move to aposition wherein the exhaust The operation ofthe hereindescrlbe Istruction will nodoubt be readily app h without further detaileddescription fof'the same. Qne of'theem vil mentsof the inveng tlon hasbeen describedand illustratedfherein' V in detail but it willbeimmediately;apparent to those skilled this art ".th tvariou changes inmany,oftheessentialiand'all lof spirit and scope thereof, andto this.end" res-If ing claims.

1. In a molding machine a'member movthe non-essential detailsoftheinvention may V be resortedito without departing from thef 12 5 ervationis made to makesu h hang s as A V the purviewet, the a'ecp yn Y able towithdraw a pattern from a mold, means for controlling the operation ofsaid member, and means associated with the means aforesaid forcontrolling the latter to effect a gradual and relatively slow movementof said member during the drawing operation.

2. In a molding machine, a reciprocable ram movable in one direction towithdraw a pattern from a mold, a Valve for controlling the operation ofsaid ram, and automatically operable means for controlling the valve toeffect a gradual and relatively slow movement of the ram during thedrawing operation.

3. In a molding machine, a reciprocable ram and valve controlled powermeans for actuating the ram, and means automatically operable to arrestthe valve in an intermediate position for effecting a gradual andrelatively slow movement of the ram in one direction.

4. In a molding machine, a reciprocable ram and valve controlled powermeans for actuating the ram, and adjustable means for arresting thevalve in a predetermined intermediate position for effecting arelatively slow movement of the ram in one direction.

5. In a molding machine including a reciprocal ram and valve controlledpower means for actuating said ram, a handle for controlling said valveand an adjustable stop on said handle for arresting the latter in anintermediate position of the valve.

6. In a molding machine, a power actuated ram, a handle controlled valvetherefor, a stop on the frame of the machine and an adjustablecooperating stop on said handle engageable with said first stop toarrest the handle in an intermediate position of the valve to permitsaid ram to slowly descend,

7. In a molding machine, a power actuated ram, a handle controlled valvetherefor, a stop upon the frame of the machine and a 1 second stop uponthe handle, one of said stops ond stop and thereby permit movement of.

being adjustable and adapted to engage the other to arrest the handle ina predetermined intermediate position of the valve to permit arelatively slow movement of the ram in one direction.

8. In a molding machine, a power actuated ram movable in one directionto withdraw a pattern from a mold, a handle controlled valve therefor, astop associated with the machine, a second stop upon said handleengageable with the first mentioned stop to arrest the handle in anintermediate position of the valve to permit a relatively slow movementof the ram during the drawing operation, and means permitting said firstmentioned stop to be moved out of engagement with said seethe valve toone extreme position. v

9. In amolding machine, a reciprocal ram,

' fluid pressure means for raising said ram, a

valve for controlling said fluid pressure means, means for automaticallymoving said valve to fluid releasing position, and means for limitingmovement of the valve toward the fluid releasing position whereby toeffect a gradual and relatively slow descent of the ram.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WVILLIAM J. FIEGEL.

